Hawks to face Celtics

The Hawks don't care. They got what they needed, what they wanted and that's a rematch of their 2008 playoff series against the Boston Celtics, only this time they'll have home court advantage.

When the No. 8 seed Hawks slid into the playoffs back then, they were taking on a top-seeded Celtics' juggernaut in the first year of the famed 'Big Three' that would go on to win the championship. The toughest test the Celtics got that year was in that first-round series against the Hawks, an epic seven-gamer that featured all the drama and fisticuffs you could ask for in a playoff series.

Now they'll do it again, this time in a No. 4 versus No. 5 matchup with the Atlantic Division champion Celtics coming to Atlanta for Sunday's series opener and Tuesday's Game 2 before the series shifts back to Boston for Games 3 and 4.

The Hawks sealed the deal with a 106-89 win over the reigning world champion Dallas Mavericks Thursday night at Philips Arena, which along with a win over the Clippers two days earlier secured home court.

"We had a feeling this is how it would end up a few weeks ago," Hawks forward Josh Smith said. "They knew it, too. So this isn't a surprise. The good thing is we're going to get a chance to finish up what we started back in the day. We felt like we were really green back then. (For) a lot of us, that was our first time sniffing the playoffs. We've grown up a lot since then."

The Hawks haven't missed the playoffs since then, actually. That Boston series began what turned out to be one of the best stretches in recent Hawks history, in terms of postseason appearances.

If there's anything to be gleaned from that first matchup it's that home court means something to both teams. The average margin of victory for the home teams in 2008 was 23 points. The Celtics roughed the Hawks up in Boston and the Hawks crushed the Celtics in Atlanta.

Now they get to do it all over again.

But this time the Hawks are on even footing, at least in terms of experience as a group. And that includes Smith especially, since he's carried the Hawks on and off the court this season.

"To be perfectly honest, I was really hoping that at the latter part of the season, we would be in a position where we could rest guys more," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "Certainly there are guys that really deserve some rest, particularly Josh Smith. He played every game this year. He's play hurt. He's played banged up. He's played not feeling well. I just take my hat off to him because he's been a warrior for us the whole season, and he's a guy I was certainly hoping I could rest, but unfortunately, with the last game of the season having the type of meaning that it had, I couldn't do it."

No worries. Smith said he's ready to go and see if the Hawks can't finish what they started against the Celtics.

"I can't wait," he said with a smile.

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NBA Team Report - Atlanta Hawks - NOTES, QUOTES

--The Hawks will have to face the Celtics at a distinct disadvantage in the paint. All-Star center Al Horford (surgery for a torn pectoral muscle) is out for the series while his backup, Zaza Pachulia (foot), is not expected to be available for the start of the series.

That means a starting assignment for Jason Collins and extra minutes for undersized rookie power forward Ivan Johnson, whose going to take Pachulia's place as the Hawks' rowdy and energetic spark off the bench.

Pachulia and Kevin Garnett got tangled up in 2008, one of the scenes etched into the minds and memories of fans on both sides of the rivalry.

You should expect to see more of that type of action this time around, especially when Pachulia returns.

--The matchup against the Celtics will put another part of the Hawks' operation under intense scrutiny.

Point guard Jeff Teague will get a steady diet of Rajon Rondo in the series, forcing him to deal with one of the most accomplished point guards in the league.

Teague held his own against Derrick Rose in the Eastern Conference semifinals last year, so he won't be intimidated at all by the task. But he's facing a player in Rondo who does not have a problem going after him on both ends of the floor, not to mention a player that can control games on both ends of the floor and without scoring points in bunches.

But he played well down the stretch of the season, including a stellar night against the Mavericks, a boost that can't hurt headed into the playoffs.

"I think we were a confident group anyway," Teague said. "A win like this going into the playoffs is big. We just have to come out focused. We know they're going to be ready for us. They sat their guys out so they got enough rest. But we're excited."